Combined bumper and fender for motor vehicles



Dec. 11,1923. 1,477,275

A. C. MCCLOSKEY COMBINED BUMPER AND FENDER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES` FiledAug. 27. i925 5 sheets-$111191. 1

Y' Z-NENTORZ i ATTORNEY 1,477,275 A. C. MCCLOSKEY COMBINED BUMPER ANDFENDER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES i' Dec. 11 1923.

Filed Aug. 27,*1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LQ f E E Z Zllrvleru'ro.'

Dec. 11 1923.

A. C. MCCLOSKEY COMBINED BUMPER AND FENDER F'oR MOTOR VEHICLES FiledAug. 27

1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 D c@ 8.1. Il 7.3M tu a: .24.9 71.2?, g;

NVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 'l1 1923;

unirse stares revelar or-rr 4EE.

ALFRED C. MCCLOSKEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO FREDICW. BACON, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. l i

COMBINED BUMPER .AND FENDER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application inea August 27, 1923. i serial No. 659,479.,

T 0 all whome't may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALFRED C. MGCLOS- Knr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city andy county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Combined Bumper. and Fenderfor Motor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to the general class of car bumpers andfenders, and embodies certain novel improvements vupon a combinedbumper` and fender which forms the subject-matter of an application yforpatent filed by me August 15, 1922, as Serial Number 581,950, and nowpending.

In the invention of my foregoing application, means are provided forraising and lowering the bumper and fender by the foot of the driver. yn

My present invention comprehends the general construction of a bumperand fender and a means for attaching them to an automobile or othermotor vehicle, and to such an extent embodies the general features ofthe construction of the devices of my pending application that referenceis to be made to it for a better understanding of my presentimprovements, the important features of which are the devices 'foroperating the fender by thehand of the driver.

' Broadly stated, my present invention comprehends manually-operatedmeans for liftinoP and dro ino the fender s ecialv novel means torso.doing andxalso for maintaining the fender in its raised position and forreleasing it to be dropped,-all of which are described in the followingspeciiications and set fort-li in the claims. .A

For the purpose of illustrating my invention,-I have shown in theaccompanyingT drawings a certain type and embodiment of it which is atpresent preferredby me because in practice ithas'given satisfactory andreliable results.

It is to be understood, however, that the various instrumentalities inwhich my invention is shown as embodied can be variously arranged andorganized, and that my invention is not, therefore, limited to theltling device which I use in precise arrangement `and organization ofthese instrumentalitiesl as hereiny shown and described.

In the drawings, Figure l represents al perspective view of the frontpartotair` automobile toy which is attached my novel ybumper and fender,illustrated in yits `norma or raised position'. :Figure 2 represents asimilar sition.

view 'with' J theender in its released and dropped po-v the fender infull lines in its elevated posi- Y tion, and in dotted lines as dropped.v

Figure 4 `represents a central, vertical, sidesectional detailthrough-the `:tender and certain of its adjuncts.

Figure 5 represents a View similar to Figure 4, disclosing, however, thedetailed construction o the crank, the crank dog, the trippingvmechanism, and their adjuncts which my invention embraces,the partsbeing illustrated inthe positions whichjthey occupy when the fender'iselevated;

Figure 6 represents a view similar to Figure with the parts intheposition which vthey occupy when thefender is in its lowered-position,withthe -loclring'device unlatched and the triplrodf'held in its extremeinward position'. Y y ,v

Figure 7 represents a detail of an anti-ratconnection with the trip rod.y a

Ffgure 8 represents a plan of my fender and of the manually operatedhandles' whichv I I use to effectitscontrol. f

Figures 19,10, 1l,` and l2 illustrateindel tail and inv positionsVhereinafterv `explained the manually, voperated liandleswhich I employ.yFigure 1.3 represents a sectionot' an anti-rattling device. -1 y Figure14 is a cross 4section on 14-14 of Figure'lO. 1 j:

Figure luepresents .asection on; line 15- 15 of Fig. s. i 'i Similarnumerals corresponding-parts. i

ofy reference indicate vIn the drawings, ljdesignates a` motor vehicleof any desired or conventional type, which is provided in the usualmanner with a chassis 2, to which are shown as connected the frontsprings 3 which carry the `front aXle 4.

5 designates a :tender of the character described-.and vclaimed .in mypending application, yto which for .an understanding .o't' .the

details of its construction referencer is rto ,be made.

Inasmuc'h as my present invention, .as already explained, relates to thespecial novel means for supporting, retain-ing in supported position,and permitting the drop of said fender and its adjuncts and .the meanslfor manually controlling` the several movements and positiens,-I willIconti-ne myselfV to a description et these improvements.'

Referring Atir-'st to-Figures Ste 65nm-lueurs,-

6 designa-tes the crank' shafit,1mouiitert -inl notch 10 down, the innerend 13 of the crank dog 11 will be engaged against said notch so thatthe dog will be retained in thev hori- Zontal position shown, the stop74 limiting the forward movement Iot the crank 9.

In this position the downwardly curved outer end 14C of the dog-11overhangs and is iny engagement with the inner or cam end 15 of atripping sliding bar 16, which extends outwardly beyond themanie-slidable in` suitably 'formed bearings in the frame bais,-in theJform of an outer arm 17 connected with an arm-bar spring 18'which tendsto maintain the sliding VYbar in the outward position shown in Figure 5.

19 designates a` safety lever pivoted at 2.0 to the tripping sliding bar16, the said lever being normally in contactY with the inner end of thetripper rod 21 controlled by aspring 22. l

23 designates a rod uponwhich is mountedl the safety lever 24: which,under the control of the safety lever chain 32 hereinafter referred to,is adapted Ato deflect the safety lever 19 on its pivot and permitaninward p movement of the tripper rod 21 undery the device on the trippcrrod comprising a conical collar 50 adapted in the forward movement ofthe rod to encounter and seat itselic in a conical cushion 51 on a framecross bar.

kMounted on the 'crank shaft 6 is a wheel 25 protected by a wheelhousing 26 of any preferred character. l

The other features illustrated in Figures- 3 and 1 which have relationto the cushioning springs of the .bumper .and fender are illustrated ina more orless detail in Figure 8 and being features included in mypending application require noqfurther description herein than is givena little later.

The positions' of the several latching and tripping devices alreadydescribed, both when the fender is inl `its'lifted or normalpesi-tien asshown in Figure r5, and' when it is in its released or droppedposi-tion, as shown in Figure 6, with the bumper bar or tri-p memberheld inl its extreme rinward position, are so well illustrated in said"figures as to require no further description, for thereason that oneskilled in the art,

with only thev figures ybetere'him, will easily understand the shapes.and-movements of the' parts.

Referring nowl more particularly to Fig-y ures 3, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, Ihave mounted upon the steering column 28 by means of adjustable,attached, carrying collars '29, a group of what I call cylindric handleholders 3st, in the constructionshown three in nuniber, and adaptedthrough other"cont-rolling,ri devices to exert traction 'or release upon"a corresponding number'oiI chains or equivalent control connectionswhich I have respectively designated asa lifting chain 30, a releasingchai-n 31, and a safety lever chain 32.

Referring Vfirst to the releasing chain .31", see particularly Figures5,8, 11 and 12, this chain entends from the central Ahandle holdertypically showny in Figure 12, to a connection with thcttri-ppingsliding bar 16, so that when traction is exerted upon it said bar 16 ispulled against resistance of spring 16, a distance suicient to cause'thecani end 15 ot said bar 16 to travel inwardly against the inner endv111- oi' the crank dog 1l, and so tilt it upon its .shaft-12 vas anaxis, as to cause the downward movement of itsouter end 18 until saidouter end 'escapes the notch 10 on the crank 9.

AThe bar 16 contacts with the crank and moves it oli center and thefender drops due to gravity and its own weight into the position seen indottedlines in Figure 3. i l

The wrist pinsihave connected to them the' lower ends of the plungerrods 38,*the

The manual control of these latching and plungers 57 of which areresilently supported by the springs 58, see Figure 4, and upper springs59 are provided. The top and bottom o-f the casing 37 are connected bytension rods 60.l y

It `will thus be seen that the fender is resiliently supportedintermediate its front and rear ends. lIhe pull of the releasing chain31 is eectedby means ofthe handle holder seen in Figure 12 in which 33represents a bearing forvthe handle holder 34.

which is keyed to such bearing by means of the key 51. The `internalconstruction of the handle holder seen in'Figure 12 is the same as thatof the handle holder seen in Figure 11 from which it will be understoodthat a cylindric slidable sleeve 43 is provided slidable in the bearing33 into which passes a pull rod 40 having an eye to which is connectedthe releasing chain'31, see Figure 12. The pull rod 40A at its outer endisV provided with a piston 62. A spring is interposed between theforward end of the sleeve 43 and the piston 62 so' that the tendency ofsuch spring is to move the piston 62 outwardly and to hold collar 44against the bearing 33. This collar 44 is liXed to the stem of thegrasping handle 41 and also to the sleeve 43 so that the handle 41 andsleeve 43 must move .in unison.

The handle holder which is connected to the safety lever cha-in 32 is ofthe same construction as that described but has in addition a stopmember in the form of a sleeve 42 on the sleeve 43, see moreparticularly Figures 9, 10 and'l'l. Inaddition, I provide means forlocking the sleeve 43 in its outward position and instead of employingva. key 61, as shown in Figure 12, I employ a key 47 which when thehandle 41 is drawn outwardly and partially rotated will engage theshoulder 48. The upper handle holder seen in Figure 8 is of a differentconstruction as shown in Figure 15, it being seen that the lifting chain30 is connected with a rod 63 which passes through a friction clutch box64.

65 designates a spring one end of which is fixed to the friction box andthe free end of which carries a locking portion 66 which is adapted toengage one of the recesses 67 in the rod 63. 68 designates a barcarrying the set screw 69 adapted to contact with the spring 65vto varyits tension and a lock nut 70 is providedfor the set screw 69. Therod-63 is provided at .its outer end with a piston 71 which is slidablein the sleeve 43 of greater length than the other sleeves 43 and thehandle 41 is connected with this sleeve 43 in the manner alreadydescribed in connection with Figures 9 to 12 inclusive. The rod 63 isguided in the plunger 72 fixed tothe inner end of the sleeve 43. thepiston 7l.

lThis also serves as a stop for chain30r which 1n' turn is Vconnectedwith In" Figure 7, I have shown an antirattling device for the tripperrod 21 consisting of a collar secured to the tripper rod 21 and having aconical portion to engage with the seat 51.

t In Figure 13I have illustrated provisionV .for prevent-ingrattling ofthe fender frame The fender supportproper at all times. ing rods 52 arehinged to the front axle 4, seeFigure 4, and extend'into thelongitudinally extending bars 8. These rods 52 are square in-crosssection and near theirforwardy or free ends have pinned thereto theupper andl lower -wedges 53 which are adapted to engage the seat 54which is carlried by the frame members 8. As will be understood fromFigure 13, each rod 52 has two sets of wedges andseats to co-operatewith them and a spring yis interposed between one seat and the wedgewhich co-operates with the other seat. `This device serves as a shockabsorber when the fender strikes an object and 'also as an antirattlingdevice.

The operation will now be readily apparent to those skilled in this art`and is as` follows When the fender is in its normal or horizontalposition, the parts appear as seen in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the crank dog`11'be. ing in engagement with the notch 10 on the crank arm 9 of thecrank shaft 6.

The bumper bar 27, see Figures 1 and'4, has connected to it the triprods 21 and only one of these trip rods 21 is utilized to effect gagesthe safety lever 19, see Figure`5,

thereby advancing the tripping sliding bar 16 and causes its cam end 15to raise or rock the crank dog 11 and move its end 13 out of the vnotch10` yand thus unlock ico Y les the crankshaft. The continued forwardmovement lof the trip bar 21 moves the tripping sliding bar 16 intocontact with the f `crank arm 9 thus moving the crank shaft ofl' centerand vthe fonder drops'due to; grav-` ity and its ownl weight andtheforward portion ofthe fender drops into such position that the shoesf73rideonor near 'the'y ground. y

Assuming now that the fender is automatically dropped and the operatordesires to return it 'toA its normal horizontal or setk position, `hedrawson the grasping handle 41 which is lconnected to the rod 63, seelFigure 15, and asthisrod is connected with the thel wheelwhich is-iXedon.the crank shaft y6fthe-cremk shaft vwillbe rotated from thepositionseenr in dottedilinesin Figure' 3 to1 that; seen rinlfull lines inFigure 3 `and i the crank dog 11 engages thenotch 10, as shown inFigufev 5, so, that the fender-- is locked iniits set position.yThemovement of the-.crank arm 9 is limited in one direction by thestopv 74. i 1

, The parte are shown irntheir normal position in` Figi'ure 15 andwhenthe fender drops the piston 71 moves orwardlyinto prox.- imity tothe collar 72 and stays in such posi-,- tion whileethe fender is down.When the operator draws the handle el.r towards himtouraise the fenderthe piston 71-contactsrwith the collar-T2;4 As'soon aethe fenderisraised, the .operatorl pushes inwardlyy the handle 11 Yand'its' adjuncts sotha-t such parts are yout of the way and are inl the positionseenin Figure v15.-

seen that when therod 63 `isdrawn upwardly, the lock-ingTv member- 66will engage arecessf registeringtherewith and retain suchv rod 63 in theposition to which it has been drawnupwardly.V Thevrod 63 willlthus stayin thispositionuntil the fender again drops.

It theyoperator desiresto manually cause the fender to drop he.actua-tes the graspingv handle e1 seen in Figure 12 Idrawing such handletoward himandthereby exerting a pullon the chain 31 which is connectedwithA the trippingand sliding bar 16, seelliguree 5 and 6. Thiscausestherelease of the'latch ing mechanism.y as before explained. and.the i'enderdro-ps ink a similarmanner to that4 al# ready described inconnection with the4 auto-` matic` operation( I a-lsonprovide means torender the bumper bar vinactive to cause the fender to automatically`drop .in case-the bumper-bar strikes an object, For example, when -itis desired tofpark the car, it is de` sirable to provide means to causethe fender to be retained in its raised position, in. case the bumperbar should Contact with another automobile or other object. For-thispurpose the grasping handle 41' is drawn tow-ardsrthe-operator as seenin Iigures and 10, the rod -of-which is connected to they chain 32; Thechain 32' is conneetedwith the lever 24 so that when this lever isrocked, it raises .the safety` lever-19 out. of the path ot the tripmeinber-Qhas shown in dottedy linesin Figure 5.

, the-.operator .Quarts .e pull De thechae; 51-,

The purpose of :the rel y cesses 6711s to keep thechainBO taut, itbeingorritcvanbe raised by the operator. In ,orderV tovSSiStinthe raising ofthe fender and to partiallyy balance it, lfj preferably provide nthesprings 7 5,. seeFigures 1, y2 and v3.

Having thus describedA my inventiomwhat I claim as new `and desire tosecure b-y Let- .ters Patent,y is c 1.,.A devicek ofV the characterstated, come prisingV a fenderhingedly supported at one end,.`a bumper.`carried by said fenderV Y resilientlyfsupported.between itsfront andVrear, latching and .tripping means manually controlled bythegdriverli'or both lifting and dropping said fender, and meansoperating through.y thefbumper,y to effecty the` automatic releasey anddrop of said fender.I

3, The combination witlna motor vehicle,

of a fender` hingedlysupported atv one end, a ybumper carried by saidfender-and having a forward, and bachrvaitdy movement with respectythereto and resiliently; supported between its front land rear, andlatchinpand tripping `means manually controlled by the driver for`controlling the fenderveither to raise orv to releaseandlower it. y n

t. The combination withamotor vehicle,

of a fender hingedly supportedat one end,

azbumper carriedby said fender and resilientlysupported,betweenits frontand rear, lat-ching and tripping means manually controlled by. thedriverforcontrolling the fenderV either to raisevorto release and lower it,andautomatic means connected with, the

bumper foreectingthe releaseand lowerf ing of the fender.

5. The combination with a motor vehicle, of a fender hingedly Supported`atthe front end of saidv vehicle soasto be adapted to be raisedandlowered aboutfits hinge, a`

group of handle. holdersembodying handles c carried by thesteeringcolumn andoperable by the. driver of theyehicle, and latchingy yand tripping` means intermediate of sind` handle. holders andhandles andsaidfender for-'enabling the driverfthrough the move-r ment oi thehandles. upon `said latchiug and tripping means to.A raise` yor to lowerthe fender. Y I y p 6.The combination Awith a motor vehicle,

of a fender hingedly supportcdfat the front end of1 said vehiclesoas. tobe adapted tov be bumper carried by said .fenderg-afgroup of yraisedand` lowered about#v its hinge,-a

handle holders embodying handles carried bythe steeringycolumnandoperable by thel driver ofthe. vehiclef-and latching and tripping meansintermediate of said handle holders and handles and said fender for`enabling the driver through 'the movement of the handles upon saidlatching and tripping means to raise or to lower the fender, andoperable also by the bumper automatically to releaseand lower thefender. A

7. Ina motor vehicle, the following ele-v ments in combination za fenderhingedly supported `at the front end of said vehicle,- a group ofhandles'operable bythe driver of the vehicle,latcliing and Itrippingmeans intermediate ofl said handles and said fender for enabling thedriver `to raiseand lower the fender, and comprising a crank ,formedwith a notch, a tripping sliding barvm'ovable longitudinally, a.tiltable crank dog operative with relation to said sliding bar, one endof which dog is formed and placed so as to be adapted to engage thenotch ofthe crank,-and means connected with one of the handles yforeffecting the longitudinal movement of the sliding bar to effect thetilting of the crank dog relatively to said sliding bar and said crank,whereby the fender may be raisedandv latched or unlatchedl and lowered.

8. In a motor vehicle,` the following elements in combination al fenderhingedly supported at the front end of said vehicle,- a bumper carriedby said fender,a group of handles operable by the driver -ofthevehicle,--latching and tripping means intermediate of said handles andsaid fender and bumper, operable manually by the driver to raise andlower the fender, and operable automatically by the bumper to lower thefender, comprising a crank formed with a notch, a longitudinally movableSliding bar, a tilting crank dog operable with relation to said slidingbar, one end ofv which dog is formed and placed so as to be adapted toengage the notch of the crank,-and means connected both with the handlesand with the bumper for effecting the longitudinal movement of thesliding bar to effect the tilting of the crank and the release of thecrank dog relatively to the sliding bar,

whereby the fender may be manually raised or lowered and automaticallylowered.

9. In a device of the character stated, a fender pivotally supported atone end, a crank shaft carried by said fender and resiliently supported,locking mechanism fol` said crank shaft, including a releasing memberadapted to be automatically actuated when the fender contacts with anobject.

10. In a device of the character stated,a fender pivotally supported atone end, a crank shaft carried bv said fender and resiliently supported,locking mechanism for said crank shaft including a releasing memberadapted to be automatically actuated when the fender contacts with anobject, and means under the control of the operator to actuate saidreleasing member.

11. In a device of the character stated, a

fender pivotally supported atone end and resiliently supportedintermediate its ends such support including a crank shaft, a dog tointerlock with said crank shaft. and retain it in its set position,means carried by said fender to automaticallyvactuate saiddog to releasesaid crank shaft and to move said crank shaft into a position to causelthe fender to drop.

12. Ina device of the character stated,l` a. fender pivotally supportedat oneendand resiliently supported vintermediate its ends, said supportincluding a crank shaft,`a l

bumper bar carried by' said fender, a dog to lock with said crank shaft,a` releasing member for said dog, meansto cause said.

bumper bar to actuate said releasing member, and meansunder the controlof theioperator to move said means out .of the pathof action of saidbumper bar.

13. In a device of the character described,

a fender pivotally supported at one end, a

normal position, and means to effect the raising and lowering of saidfender.

15. In a device of the character described,

a fender having frame members, shafts having relative movement withrespect to said frame members and adapted to be pivotally supported tocarry the fender, wedges. carried by said shafts, seats carried by saidframe members to be engaged by said wedges, and a tension devicecri-operating with said shaftsand frame; member.

16. In a device of the character described,

a fender adapted to be pivotally supportedk at one end and resilientlysupported ,inter-l mediate its ends, said resilient support including acrank shaft, a wheel on said crank shaft, and means connectedwith saidwheel `to effect the rotation of said crank shaft and thereby theraising of said fender.

17. In a device of the character described, a fender pivotally supportedat one end and resiliently supported intermediate its ends, saidresilient support including a crank shaft, a dog` co-operating with saidcrank shaft to lock it in its set position, a releasing member for saiddog and also adapted to move said crank shaft 0E center to permit it todro-p whenreleased, a second member connected with said releasingmember, a bumper bar having a trip coeoperatv-j ing with saidsecendmember to actuate said releasingV lmember,` means 'under theIcontrol ofl the operator 'to actuate Vsaid lreleasing member, andimeans under the control of the operator toV preventfsaid' tripyco-operating Withsaid second member.y f

18.' In a device oflthe character described, a fender and controlling-means there-for comprising a connection to said* fenden'a rod secured-to said 1 connection and lbaving llafpiston, "a sleeve vin whichv saidypiston is siidable, a spring disposedivithin said-sleeve and actingagainst said-pston,-and a handle connected with said sleeve'l to aetnateit.

19. In a device of thefcharacterdescribed,

-a fender and controlling-means therefor comprising a connectiontosaiddende'rya rod secured to said connection*v and having a piston, avsleeve lin 'which said pistoni is slidable, a spring vdisposed-fvvithinsaid sleeve and acting against said pistoma handle connected with -saidsleeve to actuate' 1it,and means to limitv the traveler said sleevei 20.In a device of the character-described,

` Va fender land controlling means therefor comprising. afeonnection tosaidv fenderya rod secured vto said 4connection andhavin'g a piston, asleeve inWhch-said piston is slidabie, afspring disposed Withinsaid-#Sleeve and acting against said piston, 'a handle connected `withsaidsleeve to actuateityand means toloek fsaidv sleeve in' thepositionzto which it has been adjusted.. -V I2l. In a device ofthe-character described, a fender Aand controlling vmeans therefor,

Comprising a connection to said fender, a rod s1eeve,'anda springactuated-locking meme ber .to engage foneiof said recesseswtoy retainLsaid rodlin'the position to whichit haslbeen moved. Y'

i 22.r yIn a/device of thecharaeter described, a'fender'pivotallysupported at one end, a

vbumper barfefeetive tocause said tender to automatically drop, means'to.prevent vthe dropping "of Vsaid #fender when said bumper bai-iisactuated, 'manually 'controlled means torcause the fender to dropirrespective-of -Whether the bumper bar isoperative or in# operativetoeffect the automatic vdrop of said `fender, and manually.controliedvvmeans to raise said yfender irrespective of whether the bumper bar 1soperative or inoperative yto effect the; automatic drop of saidifender.

1 ALFRED C. MCCLOSKEY. n

Witnesses:

H. S. FAIRBANKS', F. L NEWTON.

